Irrigation Project in Ulongwe Area

Project information

Location

The site is located just outside Liwonde National Park in Bimbi Village of Bimbi Group Village Head in TA Kalembo. It is in Tambala Section in Ulongwe EPA. The Dambo stretches from Katapasya Stream down to Shire River in Liwonde National Park. It's Elevation is 482m.The Dambo is surrounded by Bimbi, Gopole, Chisawa Villages and Liwonde National Park.

Population

The population is very poor and theiy are living from agriculture. Without irrigation only one harvest per year is possible. A harvest that is usually in March, is not enough the whole year. Therefore, the people suffer hunger with increasing time and are dependent on food aid from abroad.

What is the problem?

The area is very hot and also lies in the rain shadow of the mountains. Therefore there is too little precipitation for doing farming to throughout the whole year. In the villages, the water table is in the dry season about 4.60 m deep - too deep, that the plant roots reach the water.

Our help

We plan and give technical advice to the the people and a interdisciplinary team for an irrigation scheme of 9 hectares. In three other phases more land will be irrigated. Since the irrigation area is not far from the Shire River water from the river infiltrates into the irrigation area.

With irrigation three instead of one harvest during a year can be achieved. This is for the own requirementy and also enough to sell something for income generation. So the families will have enough money to pay school fees, medical expenses etc and they are independent of foreign aid.

One hectare is sufficient for 10 families, each with about 6 family members.

Our co-operation partner

Our co-operation partner on Malawi is EI Malawi. On site we are working together with EI and the Church of Grace in Ulongwe.

How much is the project?

The construction costs for the project of 9 hectare are: about 44,500 US-Dollar.

Our part: about 4,000 US-Dollar for technical advice and planning on the ground

Seminars and Events

About us

Insitute Water for Africa e.V. works in development aid. Through the dissemination of simple methods, the use of appropriate technologies in water supply, water treatment and sanitation, the population should be enabled to care even for enough clean water and good hygiene.